Device for protecting and preventing reuse of revenue-stamps



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T D. 0. HARRISON.

DEVICE FOR PROTECTING AND PREVENTING REUSE OF REVENUE STAMPS, &c.

No. 525.267. Patented Aug. 28, 1894.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL'C.,HARRISON,'OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR PROTECTING AND PREVENTlNG REUSE OF REVENUE-S TAMPS, &c-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,267, dated August 28, 1894.

Application filed Mme, 1894.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, DANIEL GHARRISON, of Allegheny, in the county of v Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Protecting and PreventingReuse of Revenue- Stamps, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which'it appertains to make and use the, same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference. marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improve ments 1n devices for protecting and prevent- 1ng the reuse of revenue stamps on kegs, barrels, or the like containing liquor and upon which it is necessary to place such stamps in order to comply with the law.

It is customary in such places as breweries, &c., in shipping beer or other liquor to dealers, to place the required revenue stamps across the bung hole ofthe barrel, so that before tapping the barrel the stamps are torn ofi, the revenue laws being such that a certain portion of the stamps are supposed to remain on the barrel. It has, however, been found that such stamps can be easily removed if desired and reused, and-it often happens that they become soaked with drippings from the ice in ice boxes where they are stored,

causing them to fall off, or be easily removed and reused if desired. It also often occurs that in tapping a barrel a certain portion of the beer accidentally escapes, thereby soaking the stamp and causing the same to fall 01f, thereby defeating one of the objects of the revenue laws, and preventing the dealer complying with the same.

The object of my invention is to obviate such difiiculties, prevent the reuse of the stamps, and at the same time securely hold them to the barrel to which they have been attached and prevent their removal until after they have been canceled.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an end view of a keg with my device in position. Fig. 2 is a sectional view through that portion of the head of the keg in which the bung hole is located. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of my invention, the

Serial No. 512,721. (Nb model.)

parts being shown in their operative position but detached. Fig. v4 is a detail view of a crossbar for holding stamp to barrel.

Like letters of reference mark the same parts throughout the different views.

a, indicates an ordinary keg or the like hav- I ing the usual bung hole b.

- 0, indicates my improved protecting plate in the present instance being shown as provided with a series of small openings 0' through which the stamp can be seen, and with the central opening d. This plate, although shown as being formed rectangular, can be made of any desired shape or material, the same being preferably formed of cast iron, made malleable, or of thin sheet iron. The corners of the plate are preferably turned .down as shown to form spurs or points e e, which enter the keg when the plate is placed thereon. Instead of providing the plate with the down turned spurs 66, it can be provided with any other suitable means for holding the same in place upon the barrel or cask.

f, indicates the revenue stamp pasted or otherwise secured across the bung holeof the barrel. g g, indicate cross bars loosely confined between the plate and the stamp,the purpose of which will be shortly'described.

In use after the kegs have been filled and are ready to be sold the necessary revenue stamps are pasted across the bung hole b. The cross pieces g g (which are preferably of spring wire) are then placed across the stamp, and the plate a, placed over both. Instead of making the cross bars of spring wire, a single piece of tin or other light soft material g,

might be employed provided with one or more spurs g as shown in Fig. 4, adapted toenter the cork of the bung hole of the barrel after having passed through the stamp, and which could be withdrawn by any sharp pointed instrument when it was desired to remove same and tap the keg. in position the spurs or points e e, entering the barrel and holding the parts in position.

When it is desired to tap the keg the cross bars (which protect the stamp from interference before the keg is ready to be tapped) are pulled out from beneath the plate 0, through the central opening in'such plate. The spigot is then driven into the bung hole thereby can- The plate 0, is then placed eelin g that portion of the stamp through which the spigot is driven. The balance of the stamp, not canceled, will remain on the keg as required by law, and when the barrel is refilled the plate can be taken off, and a new stamp placed thereon and the plate arranged over the new stamp as before.

By using my improved device the revenue officers are protected and the dealers are enabled to comply with the requirements of the law and are also protected against loss by reason of the stamps falling oflf the barrels owing to dampness, 850., before they are sold.

I do not care to limit myself to the exact shape of the parts herein described, nor to the exact location thereof as slight changes might be made in either of these respects without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A keg having a bung hole, a stamp across the same, a plate having a central opening and provided with fastening means to enter the keg, and a cross bar removably confined between the stamp and the plate, as set forth.

2. A keg having abung hole, a stamp across the same, a plate having a central opening provided with points or spurs to enter the keg, and a bar beneath the plate provided DANL. C. HARRISON.

Witnesses:

WAYNE KRATZER, WM. H. HARRISON. 

